


And Then There Were Five

by Gerdesichh



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 06:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9643640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gerdesichh/pseuds/Gerdesichh
Summary: AU prompt-Rick and Daryl are married with two kids already, Rick is a cop who one day brings a bay home with him without warning!





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first Rickyl fic so please be nice! This was prompt from CarburetorCastiel! Big thank you for helping me through this and giving me the courage to do it!!

This morning was unlike any other morning in the Grimes-Dixon house hold, chaos. Rick was running around the kitchen half dressed in his King County Sheriffs uniform and his camo sleep pants trying to get some what of a breakfast cooked for his family before everyone had to rush off to work and school.  
"Carl get your ass out of bed" Daryl yelled from somewhere close by. At the exact moment Judith their two old, decided she was ready to get out of crib, started screaming.  
"I got her" Rick said slipping past his husband in the tight hallway of their 3 bedroom house.  
"Breakfast?" Daryl asked in passing.  
"Oatmeal is cooling on the stove" Rick answered pushing the door open of Judith's bedroom open. Judith was standing up in her crib gripping at the rails so tight her little knuckles were turning white.  
"Good morning angel" Rick cooed picking up into his arms.  
"Daddy" She said nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. Rick took a moment to snuggle with his daughter in the peacefulness of her room. With half of the Dixon genes running through her blood Rick couldn't help but smile and press a kiss to the top of her head. The day Merle told Daryl he was going to be an uncle was shocking to say the least but not a surprise. With Merle's history with drugs and sleeping around it was a miracle that it didn't happened sooner. A few months into Merle's girlfriends pregnancy both of those idiots got thrown in jail on drug charges and other existing warrants, both not expected to be out for a long long time. When Merle wrote from prison asking if Rick and Daryl could adopt the baby and take care of it like it was their own was an even more shocking to Daryl. First he was going to be an uncle and now he was going to be a dad. After talking it through with Rick and his step son Carl, Rick's son from a previous marriage, the family of three agreed that it was the best thing to do, and besides Rick and Daryl were talking about another child before any of this went down. It seemed to good to be true to pass up an offer like adopting a little one with the Dixon genes.  
"You ready to go see Dada?" Rick questioned pushing her sandy blonde hair out of her eyes. Judith nodded tiredly against his shoulder as the pair made their way into the kitchen.  
"Someone's sleepy this morning" Rick announced placing Judith in her height chair strapping her in tightly.  
"There she is, my little asskicker" Daryl cooed kissing the 2 year old on her hair.  
"Dada!" Judith beamed up at Daryl.  
"She reminds me so much of you it's scary" Rick said taking his seat across from Carl at the dinner table.  
"Why is it scary?" Daryl piped up spooning some oatmeal into his mouth.  
"Because having two Daryl's in one house hold is going to be enough to drive us all crazy" Carl said with a smirk. Daryl glanced to over at Rick who was hiding his own smirk behind his coffee mug.  
"Shut it kid, or I'll make you walk to school" Daryl threatened. Carl let a chuckle shaking his head.  
"No you won't, you love me to much" Carl said proudly puffing at his chest. Rick laughed out loud spooning some oatmeal into Judith's mouth.  
"He's right" Rick said before turning his attention back to Judith. Daryl looked between the two Grimes boys with a smirk creeping up the right side of his face.  
"Like having two Rick's is any better?" He questioned before turning his attention back to his own meal.  
"You sure you're okay with taking Carl to school?" Rick asked as he placed everyone's dishes in the sink for later.  
"Yea, the project Abraham has us working on is right around the block" Daryl said wiping at his daughters face.  
"You got her? I need to finishing getting dressed" Rick said pausing in front of his husband and daughter.  
"Yea we are good aren't we asskicker?" Daryl asked hefting Judith up into his arms making her giggle.  
"Asskicker!" Judith repeated happily. Daryl busted out laughing while Rick just shook his head.  
"You really need to start watching your mouth around her now that she thinks its funny to repeat everything we say" Rick scolded pushing past the laughing pair and into the bedroom.  
"Hurry up or you'll be late" Daryl called after him knowing Rick didn't mean anything by it.  
"Alright sweetie, ready to go see Beth?" Rick asked pulling Judith into his arms. Judith nodded happily while she played with her stuffed dog. "Say bye to Dada and Carl" He said taking the diaper bag from Daryl.  
"Bye Dada, bye Carl" Judith repeated.  
"Bye baby" Daryl said kissing her forehead.  
"Bye Judy, be good for Beth" Carl added kissing his sister on the cheek.  
"See you later" Rick said to Daryl pressing a quick kiss to his husbands lips.  
"Yea whatever" Daryl answered with a smirk.  
"Love you" Rick said with a wink.  
"Love you too" Daryl said with a nod of his head. Life with two kids was busy and left little time with each other but Daryl wouldn't change his life for anything.  
"Get your shit Carl, we gotta move!" Daryl shouted from the front door at his teenage step son. 

The day was hot and nearing to an end when Rick got a call through his radio about a child screaming. The address was a rural part of king county, a place that Daryl managed to escape from and become a wonderful man. It was most likely a drug call or a domestic call and Rick hated domestic calls the worst. After knowing what Daryl went through with his own father and brother it tore his heart in half not being able to help. Most kids out there were to afraid of cops or of what would happen to them once their parents found out that the told on them to actually ask for help and if they didn't ask for help then Rick by law couldn't help. With a sigh Rick eased his police cruiser up the long drive way of the old run down house. The front shutters were hanging off , half of the porch railing was missing and half the rood was caved in. This place was literally falling apart Rolling his window down Rick listened for the screaming of a child he got a call about but he heard nothing but silence, it was an eerie silence, one that made the hairs on the back of Rick's neck stand up. Then a loud agonizing cry tore through the silence air and Rick's heart stopped. It wasn't a child screaming it was a baby. Rick was out of his police are and up the steps of the old porch before he could even form a thought about calling for backup. It was the smell that hit him first when he managed to kick the door down, rotting flesh invaded his senses so suddenly that Rick had to cough out a breath covering his mouth and nose with his hand. It didn't Rick long to figure out where the smell was coming from. Laying on the dirty stained carpet was a woman with a needle sticking out of her arm. Her eyes lifeless and lips as blue as the ocean. Rick immediately called for back up before following the blood curdling cries of the infant. Moving through the small house with his gun drawn. Rick holstered his weapon at the sight of another dead body laying in the entry way of what looked like to be a nursery. The baby's cry so load that Rick couldn't help cringe at the volume. Rick stepped over the dead body and move to stand over the crib. An infant with tear a tear stained face and dirty chest looked up at him. Her brown eyes shining with tears as she looked at him, pleading for help. "Sssshhh you're okay" Rick said out loud reaching into the crib and carefully looked over the infant who smelled like old urine and poop. At a closer look Rick guessed that the baby couldn't be more than 6 months old, he had bruise around he neck and Rick let a stray tear drop from his eyes as he pulled the infant close to him trying to comfort the small child. Rick quickly radioed for child protective services before searching the room for a clean diaper. Once the baby boy was changed Rick moved through the dirty house in search for some kind of formula. Sitting inside the empty fridge Rick found one pre-made bottle. Rick thanked his lucky stars while he heated up baby food the microwave. When back up arrived Rick was feeding the hungry baby and he had a sinking feeling that he was going to be there for awhile.

　

Daryl was pacing nervously on their back patio with a cigarette hanging from his lips. He got a text from Rick earlier during the day that he was going to be late but it was nearing ten PM and Daryl was losing his shit. Rick was never this late. The last time Rick was this late he had gotten a call from the chief of police that Rick had been shot. His worry was bubbling over and he was ready to call Carol to watch the kids while he searched the town himself for Rick. When Daryl saw the head lights of the cruiser pull up the driveway he couldn't help but sigh out loud.  
"Rick what the fuck?" Daryl growled meeting Rick at the door.  
"Sssh" Rick said pushing past his overly worried husband. Daryl stopped in his tracks taking the time to study Rick. He look absolutely exhausted,eyes swollen and red signs that he had been crying.  
"Rick?" Daryl questioned again more gentle than before.  
"Daryl" Rick answered back, his voice sounding broken and tired. That's when Daryl noticed the blue blanket wrapped tightly around something in Rick's arm. Daryl looked up at Rick with weary eyes.  
"Before you say anything let me explain" Rick started.  
"Explain what?!" Daryl said trying to keep his voice down while pulling the blanket away to revile the form of a sleeping baby held tightly in Rick's protective grasp.  
"A baby?" Daryl asked shocked looking between Rick and the sleeping baby boy in his arms.  
"Yeah, I thought we could adopt him" Rick said rubbing at the back of his neck nervously. Daryl just looked at him his eyes wide and shocked. After a tense minute of silence Daryl finally spoke.  
"Well Rick!" He growled. "Did you think about asking me, your husband, what I thought about adopting another kid." Daryl choked out between clenched teeth.  
"Look I know you're pissed but please let me explain-  
"Explain!" Daryl said cutting him off. "Rick you can't just bring a baby in here without talking to me about it first!" Daryl shouted causing the baby in Rick's arms to whimper.  
"Keep your voice down, you'll wake the kids!" Rick hissed bouncing the small bundle in arms.  
"That's not my kid!" Daryl spat just as the baby started to cry.  
"Daryl I just couldn't leave him there, I couldn't" Rick said his voice pleading as he continue to bounce the baby in his arms. Daryl sneered at Rick and the baby in his arms before stepping around Rick to pull on his boots.  
"Where are you going?" Rick asked with a sigh.  
"I need some air" Daryl replied pulling on his winged vest. "Better shut that kid up before he wakes up our kids" Daryl growled in Rick direction pulling the door open and letting it slam shut behind him. Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and shushed the baby crying in his arms. Rick knew Daryl would react like this. It took Daryl a long time to come to terms that Carl saw him as another dad and just as long to admit that he wanted another child. Rick knows where his anger stems from, fear. Daryl is afraid that he'll end up being just like his father. Which would never happen, Daryl is the best most kind hearted person Rick knows and Rick loves Daryl more and more each day because of it, but trying to get Daryl to see that was like trying pull teeth. Rick knew Daryl would be back, because Daryl also came back. When ever there was to much of an emotion Daryl would step out for a few hours, to clear his head and to prevent from saying something he didn't mean. 

Daryl pushed the front door open and let it shut quietly behind him. He toed off his boots silently pausing when he caught sight of Rick in the recliner, the baby sleeping peacefully in his arms. With the moon streaming through the open curtains Daryl couldn't help but notice that even in his sleep Rick looked exhausted. The thought that Rick wasn't in bed getting a good nights sleep because of crush him. Daryl was a totally dick to Rick earlier. It was clear the second Rick got home he had a rough day but Daryl was to caught up in his own feelings to care. Looking at Rick and the baby now made Daryl smile, reminding him of when Judith was a newborn wouldn't sleep unless she was held by one of her dads. It was always Rick who ended up in that recliner sleeping soundly by morning. Daryl moved silently through the living room toward his sleeping husband and sleeping baby. Standing above Rick Daryl looked down to study the small infant, he notice Rick gave the baby a bath and now he could see that the little boy had bruises around his neck causing his stomach to knot up in dread. Daryl carefully reached out laying a hand on Rick's cheek, his rough calloused fingers catching on the stubble of Rick's five o' clock shadow.  
"You're home" Rick mumbled, his eyes still closed.  
"Yeah" Daryl whispered brushing his thumb across Rick's lower lip. Rick pulled open his blue eyes smiling gently at his husband.  
"What's his name?" Daryl asked letting his hand drop from Rick's face.  
"He doesn't have one" Rick replied sadly.  
"What do you mean he doesn't have one?" Daryl asked frowning looking down at baby.  
"His parents never named him, the social worker pulled his birth certificate to find that the parents never gave him a name." Rick said shifting carefully in his seat.  
"Is that why you want to adopt him, because he's got shitty parents?" Daryl asked reaching out to stroke the babies head. Rick watched as his husband stroked the baby, his touches so gentle and loving, something the baby probably wasn't use to. When Daryl looked back up at Rick, Rick had tears in his eyes.  
"Worst than shitty" He answered.  
"You wanna tell me about it?" Daryl asked squeezing Rick's thigh. Rick sighed heavily turning his eyes down to the baby.  
"Got this call, about a scream kid, when I got to the house I didn't hear anything and first but then his cries were so loud and painful. He was literally crying himself horse. His parents were both dead, over dosed on meth." Rick started his voice thick was emotion. "When I noticed the bruises around his neck I just lost it, how could anyone do that to a baby. I just don't understand." Rick added scrubing a hand over his face.  
"Meth ain't no joke, Merle use to try to whoop my ass when he was high on that shit." Daryl said watching the baby stir in his sleep. Rick was silent for a long time and when Daryl finally looked at him he was crying, silent tears running down his face.  
"Rick" Daryl bite out wiping the tears off his face.  
"When I saw him in that house in those dirty clothes the only person I could think of was you, what you went through, about all the abuse you had to put up with, Daryl I couldn't leave him with that social work, Daryl I couldn't. This little guy has already been through enough abuse being in and out of foster care his whole life isn't going to help." Rick said looking down at the baby in his arms. "I know it's sudden and I should have warned you before I got home but I just don't want him to hurt like you hurt Daryl, I want him to have a happy life because he deserves it, you deserve it babe" Rick said looking up gripping the back of Daryl's neck. Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat before bringing his lips to Rick in a deep passionate kiss.  
"I do have a happy life" Daryl reassured pressing his forehead to Rick's. The baby whimpered in Rick's arms his lower lip set in a firm pout.  
"Here I'll get him changed you get you're butt in bed, you look like shit" Daryl said taking the small baby into his strong arms as gentle as he could. Rick wet out a wet laugh standing up stretching his arms above his head.  
"I love you" Rick said surging forward to kiss Daryl. Daryl smiled into the kiss rubbing his nose against Rick's lovingly.  
"I guess this means I really need to start watching my mouth now that we'll have all these kids running around." Daryl said with a smirk pressing another kiss to Rick's lips. Rick's smile lit up the room at hearing Daryl's words. It wasn't going to be easy, raising three kids but seeing Rick smile like that was worth it.  
"What should we name him?" Rick asked looking down at the now wide awake baby. Daryl was silent as he pressed his forehead against Rick's so they could look down at their new son together.  
"One time when my dad wasn't being an asshole, he said that naming a son after their father was like passing down a legacy from father to son, that the son would be destine for greatness if he took the fathers name or some bull shit like that" Daryl said his eyes never leaving the baby. Rick smiled pressing a kiss to Daryl's forehead. "Then we'll name him Daryl" Rick said confidently.  
"Rick-  
"Daryl you are the greatest man I know and the best father these kids could ever ask for. I think Daryl is the perfect name for him" Rick kissing Daryl's cheek then his jaw before finally landing a kiss onto Daryl's lips. Daryl huffed  
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you when your son turns out to be a foul mouth redneck" Daryl said gently shoving Rick back.  
"But I love my foul mouth redneck" Rick said with a wink.  
"Yea yea, now bed, I got this" Daryl said dipping his head in a nod.  
"I know" Rick replied turning on his heel heading toward their bedroom.


End file.
